Stoneheart
by notfromhero
Summary: A rumor reaches Whiskey Peak. A powerful Devil Fruit may have appeared on a nearby island. Vivi and Mr. 9 set out to retrieve it. Little did they know, the island was not uninhabited. And they weren't the only ones after the fruit. Will Alabasta be saved earlier than expected? Or is it in more danger than ever?


**Chapter 1**

A/N: Here's my first shot at a One Piece fic, focusing on Vivi and an OC. This is a work in progress, so I may make changes after posting if I feel it's necessary. Cover image is unrelated the story. Enjoy the chapter.

* * *

Vivi pulled her coat closer against the chill as they neared the unnamed island. A craggy mountain rose in the distance, covered in rocky spikes like needles in a pincushion.

"So this is the place," Mr. 9 said, manning the helm on the aft-deck. "Do you think there's really a devil fruit here?"

"I don't know," she said. "But it doesn't matter. We have to search for one, either way." Baroque Works learned of a rumor that a powerful fruit user that lived on this island had died. Legend said that when a Devil Fruit user died, their power found its home in a fruit nearby and waited for the next person to come along and eat it. "I heard he was called _The Walking Mountain_. What kind of power do you think he had?"

Mr. 9 scratched his chin. "Hmm… maybe some kind of hardening ability? Impenetrable armor, or something?"

"Maybe." She had to get her hands on it. It might be her best chance at defeating _that man_.

They dropped anchor just outside the shallows and took a boat to the island, having to climb the rocks that the island was covered in to finally reach flat ground.

"Let's see if anyone lives here. They might know where to find it."

Mr. 9 nodded and sniffed heavily, his nose red from the cold. If his crown weren't made of bronze, it might've blown away in the wind by now. A surge of wind nearly knocked him over and he had to consider that the damn thing might blow away, anyway.

They trudged through a field of gravel, skirted a crevasse and crossed over a stone arch, always searching for their prize. Vegetation was sparse, and most of it occurred in patches where dirt shone through.

As Vivi walked on a narrow ledge, she heard a sharp snap near her feet. Cracks began to spread out on the path, and she and Mr. 9 were forced to flee in opposite directions, she going forward and he back. Below was a sharp drop to a rocky death. _I'm almost there! _she thought, her heart pounding. Just a few more feet and the path widened. The stone under her foot gave out and she slid down the wall too fast; far too fast.

_No! I can't die, now! My people still need me! _She clawed at the wall desperately, hoping to catch a handhold.

She stopped. The stone was cold against her cheek, but it no longer scraped at her hands and legs. Her arm was in the firm grip of her savior, who clung to the wall effortlessly.

"You alright?" he asked, his snowy hair blowing in the wind. He wore a fur-lined cloak over winter clothes, and it bunched up around his neck, hiding his mouth.

* * *

Vivi and Mr. 9 hung back as Eston led them to his home. "Do you think he'll help us find the fruit?" Vivi whispered.

"How should I know, Miss Wednesday? What if he already ate it? Did you see how he moved?"

Vivi shook her head.

Mr. 9 stared ahead at the man who'd saved Miss Wednesday. He'd appeared out of nowhere, leaping off those rock spires in rapid succession before sliding down the wall and grabbing her arm. "He's not normal. There's no telling how powerful he is."

"But he doesn't seem like a bad person. He did save me, after all."

"Still, we should be careful."

* * *

Eston led them down a staircase to his underground home. With a quick heave, he slid the door open and welcomed them in. _Oyaji, I'm home, _he thought, then smiled. _And I have guests._

_Guests_! He'd never had any before. It'd always just been Oyaji and him. This was his chance to show hospitality, and he'd practiced long and hard for this. "Please, have a seat," he said, gesturing to the room that only had a low table and no chairs. The truth dawned on him and it was so much heavier than he ever expected. "I, uh, I mean…" Why didn't he have any chairs?! How could he offer them a seat without chairs?!

The blue-haired woman took a seat on the ground and the man followed suit. Eston blushed and resisted the urge to bang his head against the wall. "Drinks! I have tea."

"Yes, please," the woman said.

"Water is fine," the man said.

He didn't know their names. Had they introduced themselves? Had he forgotten their _names_? How could this be happening? Everything was going wrong!

Panicking wouldn't solve anything. First, get drinks. Ah, their coats! "Here, allow me to take your coat, Miss…?"

"Wednesday," she said, shrugging hers off, and handing it to him. He hooked it on the wall and waited for the next coat.

"I'll keep mine. Call me Mr. 9."

_Weird names. I wonder where they're from?_ He made their drinks and set them on the table, sitting on the ground himself. _Things aren't going so bad. It was a rocky start, but it's getting better._

"So, uh… you guys come here often?" _Oh God, I'm doomed._

Miss Wednesday laughed, and even Mr. 9 seemed amused, so he decided to pretend that was a joke.

* * *

Eston's home was a cozy place, despite being made of stone and set underground. The floor was pleasantly warm and not as uncomfortable as she thought it might be. There were no picture frames on the walls, instead, images were carved directly into them. Eston was in most, and there was another man that frequently appeared. Whoever carved them must've been incredibly skilled.

At some point, Eston remembered that he had cushions they could sit on and handed them out. The tea was absolutely delicious and it was a flavor she'd never had before.

She took another sip, savoring the crisp taste. "What kind of tea is this? It's amazing."

Eston's yellow eyes lit up. "I call it _Stoneheart _tea. It's made from an herb that burrows into stones to grow safely. It took me a long time to find the right brewing method, but I think I've finally got it."

Mr. 9 made a face. _What's so great about tea?_

Vivi set her cup down. "Eston, we actually came here for a reason. We're looking for a particular type of fruit. I don't know what color it is, but it likely has a swirl pattern on its rind and a curly stem. Have you seen anything like that?"

_Watch him say no, and prove we're wasting our time, _Mr. 9 thought.

"I have, actually."

Vivi's heart leapt. "Could you tell us where? Of course, we're willing to compensate you for the information!"

Eston knocked back the rest of his cup and pointed straight up. "At the top of the mountain. I can show you if you want?"

* * *

Vivi and Mr. 9 stared at the huge gap they had to cross just to start their way up the mountain. In a feat of incredible acrobatics, Eston ran up a tree-sized stalagmite and vaulted all the way over, his cloak fluttering in the wind, to land square on his feet.

"Just do what I did!" Eston yelled across.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?" Mr. 9 bellowed. "NO ONE CAN DO THAT!"

"Now, now, Mr. 9," Vivi said, stilling a shivering hand (it was because of the cold, not fear, definitely not fear), "I'm sure it's not as hard as it looks."

Carefully, she shimmied up the stalagmite Eston had used, inch by painful, cold, hanging-out-over-a-whole-lot-of-nothing inch.

"Wait!" Eston said, and Vivi went still. "Don't put your hand there. See that mark?"

There was indeed a mark like a little _X_ carved out of the stone.

"That's a trap. If you put any weight on it, the spike'll crumble."

Vivi inched her way back down and fell to her knees. "This is impossible!" she cried, literally.

* * *

_"Mr. 1, Miss Doublefinger, report."_

Mr. 1 picked up the receiver. "We've arrived at the island. Miss Doublefinger entered the island on the East side. I'm circling around to enter the West side. We'll comb the island for the Devil Fruit and meet in the middle."

_"Good. Also, it seems Whiskey Peak sent a few agents of their own. Send them packing. Don't trust them. A Devil Fruit is often _too_ tempting a prize."_

"Understood." He hung up, and dropped the anchor, looking up at the sheer cliff before him. His fingers morphed, gaining a cutting edge, and he dug them into the cliff-face, scaling it with dogged determination.

Far away, Mr. 0 put the receiver of his own den den mushi down and snipped off the end of a new cigar. His partner, Miss All Sunday, struck a match and lit it for him.

"Everything seems to be going well," she said.

"Hmph. Mr. 1 won't have any problems. It's the idiots from Whiskey Peak. If they happen to get to the fruit first…"

"You can always just have them killed and search for the fruit again," Miss All Sunday said with an innocent smile.

Mr. 0 grinned. "You know just how to cheer me up." He took a puff of his cigar and blew out a cloud of smoke.

* * *

Miss Doublefinger sauntered over the rise, finishing off her cigarette. A strange scene came into view. "Well, well, if it isn't Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday, and… who's this? Millions, maybe?"

"M-m-miss Doublefinger!" Miss Wednesday stuttered. Poor dear, she must be cold. Honestly, this is why she tried to avoid winter islands.

"It's a pleasure to see you two, but you can head on back, now. We'll take it from here." There was no doubt about the other part of 'we'. Agents never went on missions without their partner.

"Understood, ma'am. Come, Miss Wednesday, it seems our business here is done."

Wednesday shook Mr. 9's hand off her arm. "Hold on a moment! Miss Doublefinger, there's really no need for you to take this mission. We have it well in hand, and our new friend Eston has already agreed to show me where it is. Please, take the day off and relax," she finished with an attempt at a sincere smile.

Mr. 9 put a hand next to his mouth and spoke in a hush, "Wha—Miss Wednesday, what are you saying? We've been dismissed; we should go before things turn sour." She heard every bit of it. Had he intended that to be a whisper?

"Last chance, you two. If your friend over there knows where it is, he can just as easily tell me, now can't he?"

* * *

Vivi felt like the world was going to end if she didn't do something soon. Miss Doublefinger would never let her retrieve the fruit, but she couldn't imagine a situation where she escaped the woman's wrath. She was one of the strongest members of Baroque Works and hadn't earned that position by accident.

"Miss Wednesday, what's gotten into you? I know we need the money from this mission, but it will do us no good if we're too _dead_ to use it!" Mr. 9 said, shaking her shoulders. "We need to leave, now!"

Desperately, her eyes sought about, trying to put together some sort of plan, but her mind was blank. "I can't. Mr. 9, I can't leave without that fruit. I have to have it, no matter what."

There was no going back at this point. She'd brought too much attention to herself by coming here. Mr. 0 would have her investigated and killed or just killed outright. The fruit was the key to her country's fate. It had to be.

"Time's up, kids." A thin black lance pierced Vivi's leg, one of Miss Doublefinger's black-gloved fingers. It retracted and Vivi screamed silently, tears coming to her eyes as she clutched the new wound.

"Sayonara." She raised a hand, all five fingers pointing forward. The needles would extend in the blink of an eye, skewering the both of them.

That didn't happen. A white blur fell from the sky and struck her in the face. She rolled and regained her feet, standing near the edge of the terrace. Blood dripped down her chin from a split lip, and she'd likely have a nasty bruise. "You son of a _bitch_," she spat.

Eston stood tall across from her, cloak billowing. "These two are under my hospitality. No one hurts my guests!"

* * *

"_Listen well, Eston. You come from a family of prestige and honor. There are traditions and customs that you must observe. Are you following?"_

_Little Eston nodded dumbly, staring up at his Oyaji. He was a tall man, with slicked-back hair that grayed at the temples. Despite the cold, he wore a fine suit of black velvet._

_ "Though this island is remote, people may come here someday. If you choose to welcome them, then you've taken on an important duty. A guest must never come to harm within your walls. For as long as they are here, they are family, understand?"_

_ "Family…" the boy said. An iron determination came into his eyes. "I understand."_

Eston watched the exchange from across the deep ravine, not understanding what was happening. Someone new had shown up, a woman with curly blue hair and a long black coat. For a moment, he thought he might have a new guest, and the idea excited him. His family was growing.

She quickly proved him wrong, attacking Miss Wednesday like some kind of villain! He leapt back across and hit her with a flying kick.

"You son of a _bitch_!"

He didn't feel any sympathy for an enemy. There were guests to protect. "These two are under my hospitality. No one hurt my guests!"

She laughed. "What a strange notion. Then, I guess that means I'll have to kill you first?" Needles shot out, but Eston vanished. Her legs were swept out from under her. _He's fast! I didn't even see him!_

She quickly sprouted spikes all over before Eston could pin her down. _How is she doing that? Is it normal on other islands?_

"Watch out!" Mr. 9 yelled.

Eston twisted to the side as a lance pierced his cloak, then he grabbed it and swung her around, throwing her into the ravine.

"Are you both alright?"

Vivi nodded, supporting herself against a boulder. She didn't open her mouth, for fear she'd start crying in pain.

"Eston," Mr. 9 said. "Miss Doublefinger won't be dealt with so easily. She'll be back soon. Take Miss Wednesday and go find that fruit. You can do it, right? Don't say you can't."

"Mr. 9…" Vivi said in shock. "What about you?"

"I'll stay here and keep her occupied. I can do that much."

"No! She'll kill you! Come with us, Mr. 9!"

Eston shook his head. "I can only carry one person. If you can't cross the ravine on your own, you won't be able to handle the other obstacles on the way."

Vivi's conscience warred with itself. This was all her fault. If she'd just backed down when Miss Doublefinger told her to, things might have turned out alright. Now, she'd endangered Eston and Mr. 9, all for a fruit that may or may not give her the power to defeat Mr 0. How could she leave Mr. 9 to face such a dangerous opponent?

"You can't stay!" Eston said with fervor. "I have to protect you. It's my duty."

Mr. 9 unslung his golden bat and struck the ground. "I have a duty, too!" he said. "My friend is in trouble, so I'm going to help her. Whatever her reasons are, she needs that fruit, so go fucking get it!"

Tears spilled down Vivi's cheeks and warmth spread through her. "Mr. 9… thank you."

Eston pointed down a path that led to a cave. "Lead her in there, and keep an eye out for those marks. Use the traps to your advantage."

Mr. 9 smiled. "Don't worry and leave this to me. Now, get out of here!"

Eston settled Miss Wednesday on his back and clasped hands with Mr. 9, each nodding to the other.

In the air above the ravine, Vivi turned back and yelled. "Don't die, Mr. 9!"

She and Eston quickly bounded up the mountain.

Vicious cursing echoed in the ravine, as Miss Doublefinger rose up like a black widow. Countless spikes extended and retracted, bringing her closer and closer to the surface. Mr. 9 swung his bat a few times then tapped it against each shoe. _I can do this. I can do this. _He repeated that to himself.

* * *

Oyaji = father/old man


End file.
